The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / Some Buffalo FM's: Where Are The Signals?

**Posted by mace** February 10, 2025 7:30 pm

For years, with the FM dial so cluttered with local signals, very few of the Buffalo stations can be received in Toronto without significant interference. In Oakville, almost all of them are pretty clear. Not today. When I was out there I got nothing on 93.7, 94.5 and 96.1. I was particularly surprised with WNED because it rivals 99.5 and 102.5 in signal strength. 103.3 was unusually weak as well. 96.9, 98.5, 102.5 and 104.1 were fine. Any idea what's going on here? Transmitter maintenance perhaps?

**Posted by mjf** February 10, 2025 9:47 pm

HD radio. The HD radio data stream wipes out the adjacent 200 KHz channels.

So,

CFXJ 93.5 wipes out WBLK 93.7
CHKX 94.7 wipes out WNED 94.5
CFMZ 96.3 wipes out WTSS 96.1
Z-103 103.5 wipes out WEDG 103.3

Last edited by mjf (February 10, 2025 9:50 pm)

**Posted by RadioActive** February 10, 2025 10:45 pm

What mace says is very true. I remember back in the 70s getting stations like WBUF, WGRF, WHTT and what was then called WYSL-FM (now WEDG) coming in like locals most days. Now I can't get any of them at all. I do seem to recall a story about one or two of them moving their transmitters farther away, which may account for why the reception dropped off so dramatically.

But I sure do miss being able to get those signals over the air. Even in the car, they're almost non-existent.

Buffalo may not have been the biggest market but some phenomenal talent passed through there. I'm very glad I got to hear them when I did.

**Posted by Radiowiz** February 10, 2025 11:17 pm

Cable radio was an amazing way to enjoy WBUF & WHTT in full stereo sound, as if it were a local Toronto station. Never any interference. This was back in the 80's.
There's no cable radio today. It's also not the greatest idea. It trapped the listener to a designated room. (ie the living room, or any area in the home where cable would normally be hooked up to a TV)

Outside of the location restriction, it sure was a handy way to enjoy American radio from a Canadian home.
(I was living in Scarborough, Ontario at the time)

**Posted by mace** February 11, 2025 8:49 am

mjf wrote:
HD radio. The HD radio data stream wipes out the adjacent 200 KHz channels.

So,

CFXJ 93.5 wipes out WBLK 93.7
CHKX 94.7 wipes out WNED 94.5
CFMZ 96.3 wipes out WTSS 96.1
Z-103 103.5 wipes out WEDG 103.3

So even though my 18 year old vehicle does not have HD capability, I still lose the stations?

**Posted by RadioAaron** February 11, 2025 11:15 am

mace wrote:
mjf wrote:
HD radio. The HD radio data stream wipes out the adjacent 200 KHz channels.

So,

CFXJ 93.5 wipes out WBLK 93.7
CHKX 94.7 wipes out WNED 94.5
CFMZ 96.3 wipes out WTSS 96.1
Z-103 103.5 wipes out WEDG 103.3

So even though my 18 year old vehicle does not have HD capability, I still lose the stations?

Yes. The HD data is in the spectrum surrounding the analog signal, effectively making the station take up more 'space.'

(probably got a term or two wrong, but that's the idea)

**Posted by mjf** February 11, 2025 2:11 pm

Here's a visual representation of an HD signal. In this case, the station is on 93.7. You can see the HD digital carriers (the square blue areas) on either side of the main analog signal. Notice how they go right over into the bandwidth of 93.5 and 93.9 on either side. You can hear them as kind of a hissy buzz if you tune slightly off to the sides of a strong HD station. You can also see how they would cover much of the signal of any analog station on those adjacent channels.

Last edited by mjf (February 11, 2025 2:16 pm)

**Posted by Fitz** February 11, 2025 2:39 pm

No doubt HD radio has had an impact on the ability to get the Buffalo stations ( notwithstanding the fact that there is not much to listen on those anyway). I'm in west Pickering and still manage to get some of the stations. I tried today and got these. Takes a bit of antenna fiddling but nearly all the stations mentioned did come in :

Buff Radio Scan

97 Rock 96.9 - playing the Police but no station ID
WNED 94.5
93.7 WBLK ( I think their signal deterioration is not only due to HD but perhaps a change in transmitter location)
WBUF 92.9
The Grand 92.9 ( with a twist of the antenna)
98.5 KiSS FM ( have received all 4 of their HD sub stations in the past)
103.3 The Edge
105.3 WEBR FM
104.1 WHTT
90.9 WLNF ( a very weak signal of this community station from Lockport NY)